A Brave New World
by als1991
Summary: Based on the freshman, some characters are the same. Based in an AU where the main character comes from a wealthy family.


**Chapter 1: A Surprise Introduction**

It's a warm late August day and the normally sleepy town of Hanover, New Hampshire is alive as students pour back to campus. In this small town lies Hartfield College, known for its stellar academics and average sports team it is the kind of school any well respected family would want their only child attending especially when considering that well respected family were legacies of the school and old Boston money.

You drive on to campus and park your Mercedes G-Class in the student parking. It is a pretty extravagant car for an 18-year-old, but it was a graduation/ apology gift from your parents. You aren't sure if they are apologizing for their years of neglectful parenting or for all the pressure they put on you over the last year. You look at yourself in the mirror and add a light layer of lip gloss.

"Here goes nothing," you whisper to yourself as you step out of the car. Once out of the car you take in your surroundings as you smooth out your Tom Ford romper and adjust the strap Jimmy Choo wedges. Your long blonde hair is perfectly curled and you every finger is perfectly manicured. For a girl trying to escape her family's wealth and legacy you sure had a funny way of showing it.

You are thankful that you were able to convince your parents they did not need to make the trip to campus with you. In truth, they were both relieved, your father no wanting to miss a day of work and your mother not wanting to miss whichever charity luncheon she had scheduled. They were nice enough however to arrange to have your luggage and boxes already delivered to your room. Most of the students moved to campus the week prior and have been spending their time partying and getting to know each other but you decided to wait until the very last day before classes start.

You begin walking towards your dorm when you turn a corner and you run straight into a guy jogging by.

"Whoa," he says as you both tumble to the ground.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" you say as you stumble back up to your feet.

"My ego's a little bruised" the stranger says as he stands up. "If the other guys on the football team saw me get tackled by a gorgeous girl, they'd never let me live it down."

You finally get a look at him and are stunned silent for a moment. He is tall with a muscular build, which makes you feel more petite than you already are. He has perfectly groomed dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that draw you into him. He is wearing a basic t-shirt and shorts. You feel immediately feel a spark when your eyes meet.

"I'm Chris by the way, Chris Powell. Nice to meet you," he says as he extends a hand to you.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Palmer Montgomery," you respond with a smile.

"Have we met before; your name sounds so familiar?" He asks.

"No, I don't think so," you break his gaze slightly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Chris asks showing some genuine concern.

"I am absolutely fine. Thank you though," you say.

"How about I make it up to you?" he asks.

"You can bump into some other time," you give him a flirty smile and Chris smiles and laughs back at you.

"I wouldn't mind that," he returns the flirty tone. "It is pretty fun getting to sweep a pretty girl off her feet."

"Chris!" A voice calls.

You look in the direction of where the voice was coming from and you see a pretty brunette girl approaching you. She is wearing a Chloe sleeveless dress and a pair of Miu Miu sandals, you saw this exact outfit on a display on Nieman Marcus and chuckle slightly under your breathe at her lack of creativity.

"Don't forget about the Omega mixer tonight," she smiles at him and she brushes her hand over Chris' bicep.

You see Chris cringe as she touches him and you cringe at the sound of Omega, just another reminder of your family's expectations for you.

"Oh… Becca that sounds like a great time, but I promised my suitemates we would hang out tonight, Chris says. "By the way this is Palmer Montgomery."

Caroline looks you over with a sharp eye and you see a dawn of recognition on her face.

"So, you're Palmer Montgomery," she says with a tone that could cut glass, you can tell she isn't pleased with you talking to Chris.

"That seems to be the case," a layer of snark in your voice.

"Hmm… you are a three-time legacy," Becca states as if you didn't your own status. "I guess I will see you during rush then."

"I suppose you will."

"Come Chris let me walk you to football practice," Becca gushes at him.

Chris looks slightly torn "well I do need to get there," he says, "See you around Palmer?"

"Perhaps, it is a big campus with lots of people to bump in to," you say with a wink.

Becca leads Chris away and you continue your way towards your dorm when you see out of the corner of your eye Becca whispering something to Chris and walk back to you.

"Palmer just a moment," she yells almost pleasantly, it isn't until she is within a step of you that her face falls and she beings to whisper to you. "You may be a legacy, but Chris is mine and you need to stay away from him, or I will make your life a living hell."

You shake your head and turn on your heel without responding. This was your fresh start and you refuse to get into some ridiculous war with another queen bee.

You continue your walk across campus until you finally get to your dorm building. From the outside it looks like one of the hundred-year-old brick buildings that are scattered across campus but as you walk into the lobby you can see that the furnishings are modern, and it has been recently remolded. This dorm building is part of a new living experiment where instead of living in female or male only dorms and share a room, you live in a co-ed suite style dorm where each person has their own room.

You open to the door to examine the common area of the suite when a peppy brunette comes bouncing out.

"Yay! A new roomie, you are finally here," she exclaims while pulling you into a hug.

You are slightly taken back by the enthusiasm and touching but eventually you return the hug.

"I'm Palmer Montgomery," you introduce yourself.

"I'm Kaitlyn Liao. You are seriously pretty," she says as she eyes you over. "And I am loving the Tom Ford."

"Thank you, you are seriously pretty also," you say with a laugh. "I believe this may be the start of a beautiful friendship."

She points out your room and comments that she has met the two other suitemates, both males she points out.

"Anyone you have dibs on?" You ask with a bit of mischievous. Your mother would be horrified to hear such a thing come out of your mouth, but you no longer care. You are reinventing yourself and that means no longer being their perfect daughter in their perfect world.

Kaitlyn smiles back at you "you know the number one rule of freshman year is not to hook up with any of your suitemates."

"I've followed the rules my entire life, I think freshman year is the perfect time to break the rules," you say.

"I'll keep that in mind," she says. "It looks like all your things are already here so we should hit up the Welcome Fair."

The Welcome Fair the thrilling time when freshmen can check out clubs and each other. An event you swore you would not attend; it would be swarming with Omegas and other clubs you are sure your parents have already had their friends send in letters of recommendations for. You are dreading the thought of going but the excitement on Kaitlyn's face convinces you otherwise.

"Okay that sounds great," and you fake a smile.

You are Kaitlyn exit the dorm and being making conversation. "Where are you from Palmer?"

"I'm from Boston, I have lived there my entire life," you pause for a moment but decide to be forth coming. "But both of my parents and grandparents are alumni of Hartfield, so I have spent a lot of time here as well."

"Ohh..you are a legacy," Kaitlyn says, "I was wondering what category of Hartfield student you would fall into, based on the clothes I figured old money or new money. I'm new money, oil money from Austin, Texas."

"What other categories are there?" You ask back.

"Oh, you know, you have your brainiacs, the artists who are also pretty smart, both the types on money, old and new, and the athletes," Kaylee list off the categories. "There is obviously a ton more, but I think those are main ones.

Before you can ask more about your other suitemates you arrive at the fair. There are dozens of booths advertising all the clubs and activities available at Hartfield. As you walk into the fair you notice Chris across the quad. You make eye contact with him and he offers a small wave and smile and whispers something to his friend he is standing with.

"Well that's quite the smile for the Welcome Fair," Kaitlyn nudges you.

"Oh, it's just some guy I met earlier today," you say. "Do you think it's a good sign if he whispers something to his friend right when he waves at you." You are disgusted with yourself for sounding so insecure, you have never been insecure before.

"Well I don't think it's a bad sign," she giggles. "Which one is he?"

You look back to where he was standing but he has disappeared into the crowd. "He's gone," you say with a slight hint of disappointment.

You and Kaitlyn begin to make your way through the fair, she is much more interested than you, you already made a promise to yourself the only activities you are doing this year will be to piss your parents off. Right as you repeat that promise to yourself you see the Omega booth. Kappa Alpha Omega, the sorority of your mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

"Becca, nice to see you again," your voice dripping in false enthusiasm.

"Palmer, stealing any more men?" she retorts back. She is about to add some additional sass to your conversation when an older girl walks up behinds her.

"Becca?" She asks, "are you going to introduce me?"

"Of course, this is Palmer Montgomery," you can tell Caroline is not pleased to make the introduction.

"Palmer, it is so nice to finally make your acquittance. I am Elizabeth Vangard, president of Kappa Alpha Omega," she extends her hand to you. "I have already read all your glowing letters of recommendation and have been in communication with your mother and grandmother. We are so looking forward to your involvement in recruitment this fall."

You shake her hand in return "I am as well." You agree hoping it will lead to a faster end to the conversation.

"Becca wasn't bothering you, was she?" Elizabeth asks you.

You see Becca frown behind her. A part of you wants to call out Becca for being a bitch but it is only your first day and considering Elizabeth has already been in touch with your mother you decide against making too many waves.

"Absolutely not. She was telling me what she loves most about being an Omega," you shoot a look to Becca who rolls her eyes in return.

"Perfect, well I am assuming you already have a rush calendar?" Elizabeth reaches for a piece of paper. "Here is an additional one if you need it."

"I do have one and I am so looking forward to the first event," you say which isn't entirely false you did make a promise to you mother you would to at least attend the first event. "I'm sorry to rush off but I have prior engagement I must get back to."

"Of course, we will see you in a few weeks," Elizabeth says.

You make your way back to Kaitlyn, thankful to have an excuse to leave the conversation. Kaitlyn has decided there is nothing else she wants to look at and the two of you begin making your way back towards your dorm.

Kaitlyn notes that she believes your other two suitemates should be home by this point so you will finally be able to make introductions.

You and Kaitlyn walk into your suite and find the common area empty.

"I bet they are on the rooftop terrace," Kaitlyn comments, "we talked about having a little get together up there tonight."

"Who I am kidding, I mean a party with lots of booze," Kaitlyn's eyes light up at the idea of a party. "Well what are we waiting for?"

You hesitate for a minute. The idea of sitting on a rooftop terrace drinking what you only imagine is beer was hardly the kind of party you were used to or six months ago would have been caught dead at.

"Ready as I will ever be," you respond. You remind yourself this is your chance to try something new and push the boundaries of your world.

The two of your make your way to the stairs and emerge to the rooftop. You find yourself pleasantly surprised, the roof is full of cozy patio furniture, planter beds, and bistro lights hanging around. It almost reminds you of one of the trendy clubs your friends would drag you to back home.

"Palmer come meet the guys," Kaitlyn grabs your hand and drags towards two guys lounging on a couch on the other side of the roof. As you get closer you realize you already know one of them. "This is…"

"Palmer?" Chris interrupts Kaitlyn. "We've actually already met."

You smile slightly as the realization creeps into your head that Chris is going to be one your suitemates.


End file.
